


Sufficient Reason

by IdeologicalIre



Series: The Dangerous Life of Aelwen Abernant [2]
Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series), Fantasy High
Genre: But getting into them for un-healthy reasons, Character Study, F/M, Healthy Relationships, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:42:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24402250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IdeologicalIre/pseuds/IdeologicalIre
Summary: Aelwen was trying but old habits died hard.Any act which served only a single end was a misuse of her resources. Everything thing she did, every choice she made or spell she cast was supposed to advance a myriad of schemes at once. The idea of doing something for just one reason was baffling.
Relationships: Adaine Abernant & Aelwen Abernant, Aelwen Abernant/Fabian Aramais Seacaster
Series: The Dangerous Life of Aelwen Abernant [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1762090
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Sufficient Reason

**Author's Note:**

> Still figuring out the AO3 posting interface. Have a couple more ideas so turning this into a series.

Aelwen was trying but old habits died hard.

Any act which served only a single end was a misuse of her resources. Everything thing she did, every choice she made or spell she cast was supposed to advance a myriad of schemes at once. The idea of doing something for just one reason was baffling.

Take Fabian. A dalliance with him was strategically sound as it advanced multiple goals.

Firstly he was attractive and Aelwen refused to be ashamed for admiring beautiful things.

Secondly, he was connected. She understood that much of her support was based on Adaine’s continued good graces. Their relationship was still healing though and having someone with Adaine’s ear who thought well of her, who might advocate for her, that had value.

Thirdly he did not live in Mordred manor and was quite content to not talk about his feelings, or worse hers, every five minutes. Seeing him gave her an established and accepted reason to be absent.

Three solid reasons. Sufficient to cautiously proceed. She even called out how it would end right at the start. That way no one would be surprised and if she was careful she could end things with little loss of goodwill or status.

A fleeting affair and a transitory alliance. Ideal to her circumstances.

God she was tired of having her defences broken.

The first crack was a rush of energy and optimism right as they were ambushed.

“Date Night Aelwen! I believe in you!”

The second came from his eye. He looked at her with the same near reverent gaze of the Hudol boys. He actually knew her though, had witnessed her torn down and exhausted but still saw her as something worthy of desire.

Also perhaps a little bit of fear but that was even better. Aelwen might be trying to be better but she was always going to be dangerous.

The third crack came from rage. A furious spell like she’s only cast once before, banishing a unicorn out of the world. The thought that some petty thug wanting to make a name for himself by slaying the son of Bill Seacaster had nearly managed, it made her furious. How dare they take her Fabian away?

Allowing herself to love Adaine had nearly broken her. The realisation that she had it in her to...care for Fabian as well felt like an echo of that.

She would perhaps need to revisit the difference between reasons and excuses.


End file.
